Sharp County record., 1887-01-06
CHRIST'S NATIVITY.
A Christmas Sermon by Rev. T
De Witt Talmage, D., D.
New Lessons from the Oft-Repeated Story
Why Star That Led the Way
A December Christ The
Three Presents.

BROOKLYN, N. Y, Dec. 8.-The text OF
DR.. Talmages Christmas sermon was the
ninth verse of the second chapter OF Mat
thew: "When they had heard the King
they departed; and, 10, the star which they
saw in the east went before them and stood
over where the young child was" The
preacher said:
At this season all Christendom celebrates
the birth of Christ Step down out of your
comfortable surroundings into the chill De
cember night of Bethlehem. Two plain
people are hoteled in village barn after a
walk of eighty miles, too long walk for
one in poor health. No Lords of state
awaiting in the ante-chamber, as when
other Kings are born; no messengers
mounted at the doorway ready to herald
the event from city to city; no medical skill
In attendance; no satin-Gned cradle to re-
ceive its infantile guest-but monarch
born in the hostelery called the House OF
Chmham, the night, with diamond finger,
pointing down to the place; the door OF
Heaven set wide open to look out; from or
chestral batons of light, dripping the ora
torios of the Messiah; on lowest doorstep
of Heaven the minstrels discoursing Of
glory and good will.
Soon after the white-bearded astrologists
kneel, and from leather pouch chink the
shekels, and from open sacks eXhale the
frankincense and rustic out the bundles of
myrrh. The loosened star; the escaped
doxology of celestials; the chill December
;rb+ "a, will Nov world
lost star, and another star rushing down
the sky that night to beclon the wanderer
home again, shall yet make all nations
keep Christmas.
Are there no new lessons from the story
not yet hackneyed by oft repeatal9 Oh,
yes! Now, in the first place, it was 81
dereal appearance that led the way. So, the
star which they saw in the east went
before them. Why not a black cloud in the
shape of hand or a finger pointing down
to the sacred birthplace A cloud means
trouble, and the world had had trouble
enough. Why not a shaft of lighting
auivering and flashing and striking down
TO the sacred birthplace Lightning means
destruction, shattering and consuming
power, and the world wanted no more
destruction.
But 1t was star and that means Joy
that means hope-that means good cheer
that means ascendency. A Star That
means creative power, for did not the
morning stars sing together when the port
folio Of the worlds was opened! A star !!
That means defense, for did not the stars
fight IN their course against Sisera, and for
the Lords peoplel A star! That means
brilliant continuance, for are not the right
eous to shine as the stars forever and everl
A star! That means the opening of eter-
nal Joy; the day star in the heart; the morn
ing star Of the Redeemer.
The unusual appearances that night
might have been strange conjunction Of
worlds. As the transit Of Venus was fore
told many years ago by astronomers and
astronomers can tell what will be the con-
junction Of worlds thousand years
'rom now, SO they can calculate back1
wards, and even infdel astronomers have
been compelled to testify that about the
year 1 there was a very unusual ap-
pearance in the heavens. The Chinese
record, of course entirely independent of
the word of God, gives as matter Of his
tory that about the year l there was a
strange and unaccountable appearance in
the heavens. But it may have been a me-
teor such as you and have seen fash in
the heavens.
Only a few years ago l saw in the west
ern sky a star shoot and fall with such
brilliancy and precision that if l had been
on a hill as high as that Of Bethlehem on
which the shepherds stood, l could have
marked within short distance the place
Of alighting. The University of Iowa and
the British Museum have specimens of
meteorie stones picked up in the fields,
fragments flung off from other worlds,
leaving a fiery trail on the sky. So that it
is not to me at all improbable, the stellar or
meteoris appearance on that hight Of which
we speak. IOnly care to know that it was
bright, that it was silvery, that it flashed,
and swayed, and swung, and halted with
Joy celestial, as though Christ, in haste to
save our world, had rushed down without
His cOronet, and the angels Of God had
hurled it after Him!
Not black cloud Of threat, but a bright
star Of hope is our glorious Christianity.
One glimpse Of that stellar appearance
kndled up the soul Of the sick and the
dying college student, until the words
flashed from his pale fingers and the star
seemed to pour its light from his white
lips, as Kirk White wrote these immortal
words
"When, marshaled on the nightly plain,
The glittering hosts bestud the sky,
One star alone Of all the train
Can fix the sinners wandering eye.
Harkl bark! to God the chorus break
From every host, from every gem,
But one alone the Saviour speaks,
1t is the Star OF Bethlehem.
'Once on the raging seas rode,
The storm was loud the night was dark,
And rudely blew the wind
That tossed my laundering bark;
Deep horror then my vitals froze,
Death struck, ceased the tide to stem;
When suddenly star arose,
1t was the Star Of Bethlehem"
Notice also in this scene that other
worlds seemed to honor our Lord and Mas
ter Bright star Of the night, wheel on in
thine obit! mo- said the star, 81 must
come nearer, and l must tend, and | must
watch and see what you do with my Jesus" 5"
Another world that night joined our world
in worship. That star made bow of
obeisance. | sometimes hear people talk
of Christ's dominion as though it were to
be merely the few thousand miles Of the
worlds circumference; but | believe the
millions and the billions and the quadrill-
ions of worlds are inbabted-if not by